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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

The Veneration of Saint Theodore the Tiro in Samos

Procession Icon of St. Theodore the Tiro in the Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the city of Samos

It was soon after the martyrdom of Saint Theodore the Tiro that he was honored by Orthodox people, and churches were built in his honor along with that of Saint Theodore the Stratelati. These churches were known by the plural name "Saints Theodoroi" or "Saints Theodoron", and they can be found throughout Greece today (Anavyssos Attica, Thebes, Atalanti Fthiotida, Lamia, Serres, Orestiada Evros, Mytilini). Most memorable is the Byzantine Church of Saints Theodoroi in Klafthmonos Square in Athens, as well as the historic Sacred Monastery of Saints Theodoroi in Sopotos Kalavryta.

In the borderline Aegean island of Samos, Saint Theodore the Tiro is honored and acclaimed with great respect and with great reverence, since on the island there are a total of five churches dedicated to his memory. Of these two are parishes, with one that can be found in the city of Samos, and the other is in the village of Agios Theodoros in the region of Karlovasi. There are also three chapels dedicated to his name in Vlamari and the villages Pandroso and Koumeika. The Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the city of Samos was erected in 1838 in a place where there was previously a chapel dedicated to the name of the Saint, which was a dependency of the Holy Monastery of Agia Zoni. The construction of the new church, which was completed in 1853, was undertaken by the hieromonk and brother of the Monastery Ignatios Lachanas, who was also the brother of the hero of the Greek Revolution Constantine Lachanas. The Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the village of Agios Theodoros, was built in 1964 on the foundations of the old church which dated to 1807.

Parish Church of Saint Theodore the Tiro in the city of Samos

Parish Church of Saint Theodore the Tiro in the village of Agios Theodoros.